Virtuoso Life - September/October 2008 - (Page 32) LUXE REPORT BON VOYAGE Paired plating: Grand Epernay’s dessert. Holland America’s newest ship, the Eurodam. Point-and-Clicks Want sharper versions of your 100-plus photos and videos from your next cruise? Holland America Line has teamed up with Microsoft to host complimentary digital workshops in which experts show passengers how to edit, crop, and color-correct pictures; create photo albums; and turn raw video into polished home movies. They also discuss the best way to store files and how to send them to friends and family. Already in place on the Amsterdam, Oosterdam, Westerdam, and the new Eurodam, the program rolls out fleetwide by year-end. Captain Hook brings eco-dining to sea. Tasteful Debut The Celebrity Solstice, a new class of ship from Celebrity Cruises, embarks on its maiden voyage from Fort Lauderdale with some serious options for foodies. Among them are three restaurants designed by Adam Tihany (who designed Le Cirque, Aureole, and Bouchon, among others), highlighted by the Grand Epernay’s two-story glass wine tower and extensive champagne list. Specialty restaurants include Murano and the Asian venue Silk Harvest, and more selections greet guests across the 2,850-passenger ship. Seven-night Caribbean departures: November 23 and December 7 and 21, 2008; from $899. Lindblad Expeditions brings its conservation ethic to the table with the new Chefs-at-Sea program. Putting its money where its guests’ mouths are, the adventure travel company asks guest chefs not only to cook but also to educate passengers on sustainable cuisine practices such as sourcing food locally and using regional techniques. Barton Seaver, executive chef of Washington, D.C.’s Hook Restaurant, launches the program this month on the 110-passenger National Geographic Endeavour’s sailing from Portugal to Brazil; Bruce Sherman of Bohemian elegance: Chicago’s North Pond Restaurant and Michel Nischan of the Dressing Room in Westport, ConThe Swiss Sapphire. necticut, are on deck for fall sailings. Eat Smart Set sail with Tommy Dorsey’s band this fall. SWING OVER THE POND The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra joins Crystal Cruises to jive, scat, swing, and bebop aboard the 1,080-passenger Crystal Serenity this fall. The tenday crossing from Lisbon to Miami includes nightly performances (as well as a set during afternoon tea), lectures on topics such as Battle of the Big Bands (name your favorite: Count Basie, Duke Ellington, or Dorsey), and retrospectives on Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. Cruising has never been so hep. Departure: November 21, from $3,145. BY JIM GULLO 32 V I RT U O S O L I F E
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